Holden, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Holden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Holden and Worcester County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Worcester County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Worcester County compares with Massachusetts
Worcester County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Worcester County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Worcester County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.7 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 23% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.3% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 27.3% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.7% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.8% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Massachusetts, Worcester County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Holden at a glance: I-290 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Holden.
Overview
Police reported 3,757 crashes involving commercial trucks in Worcester County since 2015: 1,623 people were injured and 63 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 18 truck crashes reported in Holden since 2015, this page uses Worcester County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (9.4% of the year) and are lowest in November (7.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.7% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 9.3% of truck crashes, compared with 6.6% in Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-290 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by Ernest Ave (1), Kelly Square (1) and Paul Tivnan Drive (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 148 crashes, 3.9% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (14% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.5, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Holden fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-290 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 9.3% of truck crashes here, more than Massachusetts; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Worcester County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-290 | 3 |
| Ernest Ave | 1 |
| Kelly Square | 1 |
| Paul Tivnan Drive | 1 |
| Pleasant St | 1 |
| SR-110 | 1 |
| SR-12 | 1 |
| SR-122 | 1 |
| SR-31 | 1 |
| SR-56 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Worcester County) |
|---|---|
| Main St | 54 |
| Cambridge St | 49 |
| Hammond St | 26 |
| Southwest Cutoff | 26 |
| Turnpike Rd | 23 |
| Webster St | 19 |
| E Main St | 13 |
| Southbridge St | 12 |
Holden at a glance
| Population | 20,326 |
| Land area | 35.1 sq mi |
| Density | 579 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01520) | $148,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01520) | $477,964 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Worcester County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76 | — | 6.7 |
| 2000s | 220 | +190% | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 295 | +34% | 5.3 |
| 2020s | 352 | +19% | 4.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 76 a year in the 1990s and 352 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 5.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Holden
How many truck accidents are there in Holden?
3,757 truck crashes have been reported in Worcester County since 2015, with 63 deaths and 1,623 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Holden?
I-290 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Holden since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Holden?
The worst month is August: 9.4% of truck crashes in Worcester County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Holden?
Since 2015, Worcester County has reported 148 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.9% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Holden compare with Massachusetts?
Per 100,000 residents, Worcester County has 35.7 truck crashes a year; Massachusetts has 22.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Holden?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.